History of the Philippine Islands Vol i and II - Preface to Volume i

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HISTORY OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS VOL I AND II

By Dr. Antonio de Morga (1907)

Project Gutenberg File Converted into HTML pages by Nalanda Digital Library under Etext Conversion Project (ECP)

PREFACE TO VOLUME I In this volume is presented the first installment of

Dr. Antonio de Morga's Sucesos de las Islas

Filipinas. Events here described cover the years

1493-1603, and the history proper of the islands from

1565. Morga's work is important, as being written by

a royal official and a keen observer and participator

in affairs. Consequently he touches more on thepractical everyday affairs of the islands, and in his

narrative shows forth the policies of the government,

its ideals, and its strengths and weaknesses. His

book is written in the true historic spirit, and the

various threads of the history of the islands are

followed systematically. As being one of the first of

published books regarding the Philippines, it has

especial value. Political, social, and economic

phases of life, both among the natives and their

conquerors, are treated. The futility of the Spanishpolicy in making external expeditions, and its

consequent neglect of internal affairs; the great

Chinese question; the growth of trade; communication

with Japan; missionary movements from the islands to

surrounding countries; the jealous and envious

opposition of the Portuguese; the dangers of sea-

voyages: all these are portrayed vividly, yet

soberly. Morga's position in the state allowed him

access to many documents, and he seems to have been

on general good terms with all classes, so that hereadily gained a knowledge of facts. The character of

Morga's work and his comprehensive treatment of the

history, institutions, and products of the

Philippines, render possible and desirable the

copious annotations of this and the succeeding

volume. These annotations are contributed in part by



those of Lord Stanley's translation of Morga, and

those of Rizal's reprint, while the Recopilación de

leyes de Indias furnishes a considerable number of

laws.

The book is preceded by the usual licenses andauthorizations, followed by the author's dedication

and introduction. In the latter he declares his

purpose in writing his book to be that "the deeds

achieved by our Spaniards in the discovery, conquest,

and conversion of the Filipinas Islands--as well as

various fortunes that they have had from time to time

in the great kingdoms and among the pagan peoples

surrounding the islands" may be known. The first

seven chapters of the book treat of "discoveries,

conquests, and other events ... until the death ofDon Pedro de Acuña." The eighth chapter treats of the

natives, government, conversion, and other details.

In rapid survey the author passes the line of

demarcation of Alexander VI, and the voyages of

Magalhães and Elcano, Loaisa, Villalobos, and others,

down to the expedition of Legazpi. The salient points

of this expedition are briefly outlined, his peaceful

reception by Tupas and the natives, but their later

hostility, because the Spaniards "seized theirprovisions," their defeat, the Spaniards' first

settlement in Sebu, and the despatching of the

advice-boat to Nueva España to discover the return

passage, and inform the viceroy of the success of the

expedition. From Sebu the conquest and settlement is

extended to other islands, and the Spanish capital is

finally moved to Manila. Events come rapidly. The

conquest proceeds "by force of arms or by the efforts

of the religious who have sown the good seeds of the

gospel." Land is allotted to the conquerors, andtowns are gradually founded, and the amount of the

natives' tribute is fixed.

At Legazpi's death Guido de Lavezaris assumes his

responsibilities by virtue of a royal despatch among

Legazpi's papers, and continues the latter's plans.



The pirate Limahon is defeated after having slain

Martin de Goiti. Trade with China is established "and

as a consequence has been growing ever since." The

two towns of Betis and Lubao allotted by Lavezaris to

himself are taken from him later by order of his

successor, Dr. Francisco de Sande, but are restoredto him by express order of the king, together with

the office of master-of-camp.

Succeeding Lavezaris in 1575, Dr. Francisco de Sande

continues "the pacification of the islands ....

especially that of the province of Camarines." The

town of Nueva Cáceres is founded, and Sande's

partially effective campaign to Borneo, and its

offshoot--that of Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa to

Mindanao--undertaken. The "San Juanillo" isdespatched to Nueva España, "but it was lost at sea

and never heard of again." Sande is relieved of his

governorship by Gonzalo Ronquillo de Pefialosa, and

after his residencia returns "to Nueva España as

auditor of Mexico."

-Chapter III details the events of Gonzalo Ronquillo

de Pefialosa's administration and the interim of

government of Diego Ronquillo. Events, with the

greater stability constantly given the islands,follow more quickly. Gonzalo de Peñalosa, by an

agreement with the king, is to take six hundred

colonists--married and single--to the islands, in

return for which he is to be governor for life. He

establishes the town of Arevalo in Panay, builds the

Chinese Parián, endeavors, although unsuccessfully,

to discover a return passage to Nueva España, by the

South Sea, and despatches "a ship to Peru with

merchandise to trade for certain goods which he said

that the Filipinas needed." He imposes the two percent export duty on goods to Nueva España, and the

three per cent duty on Chinese merchandise, and

"although he was censured for having done this

without his Majesty's orders" they "remained in

force, and continued to be imposed thenceforward."

The first expedition in aid of Tidore is sent for the



conquest of the island of Ternate, but proves a

failure. Cagayan is first pacified, and the town of

Nueva Cáceres founded. Gabriel de Rivera, after an

expedition to Borneo, is sent to Spain to consult the

best interests of the islands. Domingo de Salazar

receives his appointment as bishop, and isaccompanied to the islands by Antonio Sedeño and

Alonso Sanchez, the first Jesuits in the islands. In

1583 Gonzalo de Peñalosa dies, and is succeeded by

his kinsman Diego Ronquillo. Shortly after occurs

Manila's first disastrous fire, but the city is

rebuilt, although with difficulty. In consequence of

Rivera's trip to Spain, the royal Audiencia of Manila

is established with Santiago de Vera as its president

and governor of the islands.

In the fourth chapter are related the events of

Santiago de Vera's administration, and the

suppression of the Audiencia. Vera reaches the

islands in 1584, whence shortly afterwards he

despatches another expedition to the Malucos which

also fails. The pacification continues, and the

islands are freed from a rebellion and insurrection

conspired between Manila and Pampanga chiefs.

Fortifications are built and an artillery foundry

established under the charge of natives. During thisterm Candish makes his memorable voyage, passing

through some of the islands. Finally the Audiencia is

suppressed, through the representations made by

Alonso Sanchez, who is sent to Spain and Rome with

authority to act for all classes of society. On his

return he brings from Rome "many relics, bulls, and

letters for the Filipinas." Through the influence of

the Jesuit, Gomez Perez Dasmariñas receives

appointment as governor of the islands; and with his

salary increased to "ten thousand Castilian ducados"and with despatches for the suppression of the

Audiencia, and the establishment of regular soldiers,

he arrives at Manila in May, 1590.

-Chapter V deals with the term of Gomez Perez

Dasmariñas and the interims of Pedro de Rojas and



Luis Perez Dasmariñas. The term of the new governor

is characterized by his great energy and enthusiasm.

The Manila wall and other fortifications, the

building of galleys, the regulation of trade, various

pacifications, the rebuilding of Manila, and the

opening of negotiations with Japan, are all a part ofhis administration, and he is the inspirer of them

all. The first note to the future expeditions to, and

troubles with, Camboja and Siam is struck by an

embassy from the first country in charge of Diego

Belloso with offers of trade and friendship and

requests for aid against Siam, the latter being at

the time deferred. In accordance with his great

desire to conquer Ternate, the governor fits out a

great fleet in 1593, sending the advance vessels to

the Pintados in care of his son. Shortly after,leaving the city in charge of Diego Ronquillo,

although with too few troops for defense, Gomez Perez

sets out to join his son, but is assassinated by his

Chinese rowers, who mutiny and make off with the

galley. After his death, the contests for his office

begin, for the dead governor had assured various

people that they would be appointed in case of his

death. Especially had he done this with Estevan

Rodriguez de Figueroa, a wealthy man of the Pintados,

to whom he "had shown an appointment drawn in hisfavor." In Manila, Pedro de Rojas, lieutenant-

assessor, is chosen governor ad interim, but after

forty days Luis Perez Dasmariñas takes the office by

virtue of an appointment regularly drawn in his

favor. The return of the troops to Manila proves an

efficacious relief from fears of a Chinese invasion.

The vessels sent to Nueva España in 1593 fail to make

the voyage because of stormy weather, but the

governor's death is learned in Spain by way of India.

The troubles between the bishop and governor

culminate somewhat before the latter's death, in the

departure of the former for Spain, as a result of

which an archbishopric with suffragan bishops is

established in the islands, and the Audiencia is

reëstablished. The office of lieutenant-assessor is

given more weight and Morga is sent out to fill it in



1595 under its changed title of lieutenant-governor.

In the administration of Luis Perez Dasmariñas

affairs begin actively with Camboja through the

expedition despatched under Juan Xuarez Gallinato,

and Blas Ruiz de Hernan Gonzalez and Diego Belloso.

The governor, completely under the influence of theDominicans, although against the advice of the

"majority of people in the city" sends a fleet to

Camboja. Gallinato fails to reach that country until

after Blas Ruiz and Belloso have quarreled with the

Chinese there, killed the usurping Cambodian king,

Anacaparan, and thrown the country into confusion.

Much to their displeasure Gallinato refuses to

continue the conquest, chides the others harshly, and

departs for Manila by way of Cochinchina. At

Cochinchina Blas Ruiz and Belloso go to the kingdomof Lao to find the legitimate king of Camboja,

Prauncar. On their arrival they find that he has

died, but partly through their efforts and those of

two Malays, the king's younger son, who still

survives, is placed on the throne. Gallinato

experiences difficulty in Cochinchina, where he

endeavors to regain the standard and various other

articles from the galley of Gomez Perez that had been

stolen by the Chinese, but finally returns safely to

Manila. Meanwhile Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroaagrees to subdue Mindanao at his own expense, in

return for which he is to have its governorship for

two generations. In pursuance of this he fits out a

large expedition, but shortly after reaching the

island is killed in a fight and ambush, whereupon his

first commanding officer Juan de la Xara schemes to

continue the expedition, and establishes his men in a

settlement near Tampacan, called Murcia.

The administration of Governor Francisco Tello formsthe subject-matter of chapter VI. At his arrival in

1596, news is received in the island of the

appointment of Fray Ignacio de Santibañez as

archbishop, and of two appointments for bishops. News

of the death of Estevan Rodriguez is brought to

Manila, and the machinations of Juan de la Xara to



carry on the expedition independently of Manila

learned. His death shortly after arrest, while on his

way to Oton to push his suit with Rodriguez's widow,

frustrates his plans. Juan Ronquillo is sent to

Mindanao and takes over the command there, but being

discouraged by the outlook advises an evacuation ofthe river of Mindanao and the fortifying of La

Caldera, on the Mindanao coast. However he gains a

complete victory over the combined forces of

Mindanaos and Ternatans, which causes him to send

another despatch to Tello. But the latter's reply to

the first despatch having been received, in

accordance with its orders he burns his fort, and

after establishing a garrison at La Caldera, returns

to Manila with the rest of his command. There he is

arrested for not awaiting Tello's second despatch,but is liberated on producing a letter ordering him

in any event to return to Manila. Gallinato, on his

return from Cochinchina is accused by his own men of

not following up the victory at Camboja, for had he

done so, "all that had been hoped in that kingdom

would have been attained." An incipient rebellion in

Cagayan is checked by the murder of its leader by his

own countrymen "who had offered to do it for a

reward." In the year 1596, the remnants of Alvaro de

Mendaña de Neira's expedition that had set out fromPeru to rediscover the Solomon Islands reaches the

Philippines after great sufferings from famine and

disease, and after the death of many men, among them

the commander himself. The voyage is related in

detail in a letter from the chief pilot, Pedro

Fernandez de Quiros to Morga; it is full of stirring

adventure, and of keen and appreciative observation.

One of the vessels, the "San Geronymo" despatched to

Nueva España in 1596, is forced to put in at a

Japanese port because of storms. There they receive

ill-treatment, and the efforts of the Franciscan

missionaries in Japan in their behalf lead to the

edict sentencing them to death, in accordance with

which six Franciscans, three Jesuits, and seventeen

native helpers are crucified in 1597. Taicosama's

wrath, intensified by the accusation that the



Spaniards conquered kingdoms "by first sending their

religious to the kingdom" and by entering afterward

"with their arms," is satisfied by the crucifixion of

the religious and their assistants, and the men of

the "San Geronymo" are allowed to return to Manila.

The religious write a letter of farewell to Dr.Morga, in which they inform him that Japan intends to

attack the Philippines. Luis Navarrete Fajardo is

sent to Japan to demand satisfaction, but

accomplishes little. Faranda Quiemon, one of

Taicosama's vassals, a man of obscure birth,

obtaining permission to make an expedition of

conquest, sets about his preparations, but owing to

lack of resources and initiative fails to complete

them. Meanwhile great caution is exercised in Manila,

and the Japanese residing there are sent back toJapan, while those coming on trading vessels are well

treated but gotten rid of as soon as possible.

Cambodian affairs are again set on foot, although

against the advice of some, through the

instrumentality of Father Alonso Ximenez, a Dominican

who had accompanied Gallinato on the former

expedition, but who had been left behind at

Cochinchina through his own disobedience of orders.

Affairs in Mindanao and Jolo assume a threatening

aspect. One Juan Pacho, commander of La Caldera, iskilled in an incursion into Jolo with twenty of his

men, and a new commander of La Caldera is appointed

until a punitive expedition can be undertaken. In

1598 the archbishop arrives, and the Manila Audiencia

is reëstablished by royal order, and the seal

received with great pomp and ceremony. A letter

received that same year by Morga from Blas Ruiz

details events in Camboja since he and Belloso went

there with Gallinato's expedition. Blas Ruiz seeks to

excuse their actions in Camboja and holds out the

hope of Spanish conquest and influence on the

mainland, and asks help from the islands. As a

consequence of this letter, Luis Perez Dasmariñas

secures permission to attempt an expedition to the

mainland at his own expense to aid the king of

Camboja and then to seize the kingdom of Champan,



whose king was a constant menace to all navigators

throughout that region. Negotiations with China and

the granting of an open port to Spaniards called El

Pinal, are opened and secured through the efforts of

Juan de Zamudio who is sent to China for saltpeter

and metals, although with great and vindictiveopposition from the Portuguese, who fear the loss of

their own trade at Macao. At El Pinal the survivors

of two of Luis Perez's three ships meet with Juan de

Zamudio, after suffering great storms, hardships, and

wrecks. The same favor is extended him by the Chinese

as to Zamudio, but the Portuguese show their

hostility to him also, imprisoning the men sent by

him to Macao to ask for help, and even attempting

force against him. Both Zamudio and a messenger from

Luis Perez carry news of the latter's disaster toManila, whereupon a ship and supplies are sent him

with orders to return to Manila. Hernando de los Rios

Coronel, sent to Canton by Luis Perez to negotiate

with the Chinese, writes from that city to Dr. Morga

concerning China and the possibility, desirability,

and advantages of the Chinese trade in China instead

of Manila, and the opposition of the Portuguese.

China he describes as a country "full of rivers and

towns, and without a palmo of ground left lying

idle." Meanwhile the third vessel of Luis Perez'sfleet, commanded by Luis Ortiz, reaches Camboja,

where he and his companions join the Spanish,

Portuguese, and Japanese already there. This small

force, which is eyed askance by the Malay leaders and

others envious of, and hostile to them on account of

their prowess and their influence with the weak king,

is further increased by Captain Juan de Mendoza

Gamboa and Fray Juan Maldonado, a learned Dominican,

and their men. The former, having obtained permission

to go on a trading expedition to Siam, for which he

is given letters of embassy, is also entrusted to

convey certain supplies to Don Luis at Camboja, where

he fails to find him. Maldonado is sent by his order

as a companion to Don Luis. This addition to their

forces is welcomed by the Spaniards in Camboja, and

they refuse to let them depart until hearing definite



news of Luis Perez. The arrival of a contingent of

Japanese, mestizos, and one Spaniard, who had left

Japan on a piratical expedition, still further

increases the force in Camboja. The leaders Blas

Ruiz, Belloso, and Maldonado treat with the king on

their own account, but not so satisfactorily as theywish. Conflicts and quarrels arising between their

forces and the Malays, the latter finally overpower

and kill the Spaniards, Portuguese, and Japanese,

except several who remain in the country and Mendoza,

Maldonado and a few men who escape in the former's

vessel. In Camboja confusion and anarchy again reign

and the king is bullied and finally killed by the

Malays. The Joloans and Mindanaos are emboldened by

the final abandonment and dismantling of the fort at

La Caldera--which is decided upon by the governoragainst the opinion of the Audiencia--and, joined in

self-defense by the peaceful natives of Mindanao,

make an incursion against Spaniards and natives in

the Pintados in 1599, in which they take immense

booty and many captives. The next year they return

with a larger force, but are defeated by the alcalde-

mayor of Arevalo, whereupon they resolve to be

revenged. In Japan the death of Taicosama encourages

Geronimo de Jesus, a Franciscan who has escaped

crucifixion, to open negotiations with his successorDaifusama. The latter, desiring trade for his own

northern province of Quanto, requests the governor of

Manila, through the religious, for commerce, and men

to build ships for the Nueva España trade which he

wishes to open. He does not negotiate concerning

religion, for "the profit and benefit to be derived

from friendship and commerce with the Spaniards was

more to the taste of Daifusama than what he had heard

concerning their religion." However, the religious

writes that freedom is given to evangelize throughout

Japan, although the only concession given is that the

religious could establish a house at their trading

station. In October of 1600 news reaches Manila of

the coming and depredations of Oliver van Noordt's

two vessels. The description of the preparations,

made by Morga, the instructions given him by the



governor, his instructions to Juan de Alcega, and the

fight and its consequences follow. In the same year

of 1600 the vessels "Santa Margarita" and "San

Geronymo" are both unable to reach Nueva España, and

are wrecked--the latter near Catanduanes, and the

former in the Ladrones, where it is rifled by thenatives and the men surviving distributed through the

different villages. In 1600 the "Santo Tomas" on its

way to the islands puts in at the Ladrones, but the

commander, fearing storms, refuses to wait for the

Spanish prisoners of the "Santa Margarita," although

petitioned to do so by the religious and others.

Accordingly a Franciscan, Juan Pobre, full of pity

for the unfortunate men, casts in his lot with them

and voluntarily remains behind. The "San Felipe" is

wrecked eighty leguas from Manila, and its cargotaken overland to that city. Mindanao and Jolo

affairs are meanwhile given into command of

Gallinato, and although he is partially successful,

the rains, hunger, and disease work for the natives,

and finally in May of 1602, Gallinato sends to Manila

for instructions. Juan de Mendoza and Fray Juan

Maldonado, after leaving Camboja proceed on their

journey to Siam, but are received there coldly by the

king, and their trading is unsatisfactory. Fearing

violence they depart one night without notifying theSiamese, taking with them certain Portuguese held in

Siam as partial prisoners, but are pursued by the

Siamese who molest them until in the open sea. From

wounds received during the week's continual conflict

both Mendoza and Maldonado die, the latter first

writing to his Order and advising them "on their

consciences not to again become instruments of a

return to Camboja." Troubles in Maluco between the

Dutch and natives on the one side and the Portuguese

and Spanish on the other, render it necessary to send

aid several times from Manila. In March of 1601, a

letter is written by the king of Tidore to Morga

requesting aid against Ternate and the Dutch, in

response to which supplies and reënforcements are

sent in 1602.



The seventh chapter deals with events during the

period of Pedro de Acuña's administration. With his

arrival in May of 1602, new life and energy are

infused in public affairs. The new governor first

concerns himself with home affairs. He constructs

galleys but has to postpone an intended visit toPintados, in order to attend to Japan and Jolo, and

despatch the vessels to Nueva España. It is

determined to open commerce with Quanto, but to defer

the matter of sending workmen to Japan to show the

Japanese how to construct ships, as that will be

detrimental. Religious of the various orders go to

Japan, but are received less warmly than Geronymo de

Jesus's letter leads them to expect. The latter

pressed by Daifusama for the performance of his

promises finally asks permission to go to Manila toadvocate them in person, whence he brings back

assurance of trade with Quanto. The vessel despatched

there is forced to put in at another port, but is

allowed to trade there and to return. Two vessels

despatched to Nueva España in 1602 are forced to

return, putting in on the way--the first at the

Ladrones and the other at Japan. The first brings

back most of the men wrecked at the Ladrones. The

second after rough treatment in Japan finally

escapes. As a result of an embassy sent to Daifusamafrom this vessel chapas or writs of safety are

provided to the Spaniards so that any vessel putting

into Japanese ports will be well treated in the

future. The reënforcements sent to Gallinato at Jolo

serve only to enable him to break camp and return to

Manila. While Acuña is on his way to Pintados to

inspect those islands, a raiding expedition of Moros

goes as far as Luzon and Mindoro, committing many

depredations, thus compelling the governor to return,

who narrowly escapes capture. A punitive expedition

of Spaniards and Indians sent in pursuit of the Moros

inflicts but slight damage. Shortly before this a

fleet prepared at Goa for the chastisement of the

Malucos sets out under Andrea Furtado de Mendoza, but

is separated by storms. Some of the vessels with the

commander reach Amboina, but in so crippled and



destitute a condition that they are forced to ask

help from Manila. Acuña, although arranging

independently for an expedition to Maluco, sends a

force there under Gallinato in 1603 to aid the

Portuguese. Early in that year the prelude to the

Chinese troubles of that same year is given by thecoming of the Chinese mandarins to see the island of

gold, which causes many, among them the archbishop

and some religious, to counsel watchfulness. In 1603

occurs the second disastrous fire in Manila, with a

loss of over one million pesos.

The victorious Malays in Camboja are finally driven

out by a combination of patriotic mandarins, and make

the brother of their old king sovereign, whereupon

relations between Camboja and the Philippines areagain established by sending there a number of

religious. In May of 1603 two ships with

reënforcements arrive at Manila, bringing certain

ecclesiastical news. The aid rendered Furtado de

Mendoza by Gallinato does not prove sufficient to

subdue the Ternatans, and Gallinato returns to

Manila. The present installment of Morga ends with

the courteous letter written to Acuña by Furtado de

Mendoza, in which he renders praise to Gallinato and

his men. The remainder of the book will appear in thesucceeding volume.

The present volume ends with two appendices: the

first an abstract of Thomas Candish's

circumnavigation; the second an abstract of Dutch

expeditions to the East Indies.

THE EDITORS

May, 1904.

SUCESOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS

By Dr. Antonio de Morga. Mexico: at the shop of

Geronymo Baili, in the year 1609; printed by Cornelio

Adriano Cesar.



SOURCE: The translation is made from the Harvard copy

of the original printed work.

TRANSLATION: This is made by Alfonso de Salvio,

Norman F. Hall, and James Alexander Robertson.

SVCESOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS

DIRIGIDO

A DON CRISTOVAL GOMEZ DE

Sandoual y Rojas, Duque de Cea.

POR EL DOCTOR ANTONIO DE MORGA,

Alcaldo del Crimen, de la real Audiencia de la Nueua

España, Consultor del santo Oficio de la Inquisicion.

EN MEXICO.

En casa de Geronymo Balli. Año 1609.

Por Cornelio Adriano Cesar

EVENTS IN THE FILIPINAS ISLANDS.

DEDICATED

TO DON CRISTOVAL GOMEZ DE

Sandoval y Rojas, Duke of Cea.

BY DOCTOR ANTONIO DE MORGA,

Alcalde of Criminal Causes, in the Royal Audiencia of

Nuevà España, and Counsel for the holy Office of theInquisition.

IN MEXICO.

At the shop of Geronymo Balli, in the year 1609.



By Cornelio Adriano Cesar.

EVENTS IN THE FILIPINAS ISLANDS

By order of the most excellent Don Luis de Velasco,

viceroy of this Nueva España, and of the mostillustrious and reverend Don Fray Garcia Guerra,

archbishop of Mexico, and member of his Majesty's

council, I have examined this book of the Events in

the Philipinas Islands, written by Doctor Antonio de

Morga, alcalde of the court in the royal Audiencia of

Mexico. In my judgment it is entertaining,

profitable, and worthy of publication. The author has

strictly obeyed the laws of history therein, in the

excellent arrangement of his work, in which he shows

his soundness of intellect and a concise style towhich few attain, together with a true exposition of

the subject matter, as it was written by one who was

so fully conversant with it, during the years that he

governed those islands. I have accordingly affixed my

signature to this instrument here at the professed

house of the Society of Jesus in Mexico, on the first

of April, 1609.

JUAN SANCHEZ

Don Luys de Velasco, knight of the Order of

Sanctiago, viceroy-lieutenant of the king our

sovereign, governor and captain-general of Nueva

España, and president of the royal Audiencia and

Chancillería established therein, etc. Whereas Doctor

Antonio de Morga, alcalde of criminal causes in this

royal Audiencia, informed me that he had written a

book and treatise on the Events in the Filipinas

Islands, from their earliest discoveries and conquest

until the end of the past year six hundred and seven,and requested me to grant him permission and

privilege to have it printed, to the exclusion of all

others doing the same for a certain period; and

whereas I entrusted Father Juan Sanchez, of the

Society of Jesus, with the inspection of the said

book, as my proxy: therefore, I hereby grant



permission to the said Doctor Antonio de Morga, so

that, for the period of the next ten years, he, or

his appointee, may freely have the said book printed

by whatever printer he pleases; and I forbid any

other person to do the same within the said time and

without the said permission, under penalty of losing--and he shall lose--the type and accessories with

which the said impression shall be made, and the same

shall be applied in equal shares to his Majesty's

exchequer and to the said Doctor Antonio de Morga.

Given in Mexico, on the seventh of the month of

April, one thousand six hundred and nine.

DON LUYS DE VELASCO

By order of the viceroy:

MARTIN LOPEZ GAUNA

Don Fray Garcia Guerra, by the divine grace and that

of the holy apostolic see, archbishop of Mexico,

member of his Majesty's Council, etc. Having seen the

opinion expressed by Father Juan Sanchez, of the

Society of Jesus, after he had examined the book

presented to us by Doctor Antonio de Morga, alcalde

in this court and Chancillería, entitled Events inthe Filipinas Islands, their Conquest and Conversion,

for which we granted him authority; and since it is

evident, by the above-mentioned opinion, that it

contains nothing against our holy Catholic faith, or

good morals, but that, on the contrary, it is useful

and profitable to all persons who may read it:

therefore we do hereby grant permission to the said

Doctor Antonio de Morga, to have the said book of the

said conquest and conversion of the Filipinas Islands

printed in any of the printing establishments of thecity. Given in Mexico, on the seventh of April, one

thousand six hundred and nine.

FRAY GARCIA, archbishop of Mexico.



By order of his most illustrious Lordship, the

archbishop of Mexico:

DON JUAN DE PORTILLA, secretary.

¶To Don Cristoval Gomez de Sandoval y Rojas, duke ofCea {1}

I offer your Excellency this small work, worthy of a

kind reception as much for its faithful relation as

for its freedom from artifice and adornment. Knowing

my poor resources, I began it with fear; but what

encouraged me to proceed was the fact that, if what

is given were to bear an equal proportion to the

receiver, there would be no one worthy of placing his

works in your Excellency's hands; and oblivion wouldawait the deeds achieved in these times by our

Spaniards in the discovery, conquest, and conversion

of the Filipinas Islands--as well as various fortunes

which they have had from time to time in the great

kingdoms and among the pagan peoples surrounding the

islands: for, on account of the remoteness of those

regions, no account has been given to the public

which purports to treat of them from their beginnings

down to the present condition. I entreat your

Excellency to accept my good will, which is laidprostrate at your feet; and should this short

treatise not afford that pleasure, which self-love--

that infirmity of the human mind--leads me to expect,

will your Excellency deal with me, as you are wont to

deal with all, and read this book and conceal its

imperfections with the exercise of your toleration

and gentleness. For you are so richly endowed with

these and other virtues--which, through the divine

power, cause lofty things not to keep aloof from

humble ones; and which, in addition to your ownnatural greatness, have placed your Excellency in

your present office for the good of these realms,

where you reward and favor the good, and correct and

check the opposite. In such rule consists the welfare

of the state; and this made the ancient philosopher,

Democritus, say that reward and punishment were true



gods. In order to enjoy this happiness, we need not

crave any bygone time, but, contenting ourselves with

the present, pray that God may preserve your

Excellency to us for many years.

DON ANTONIO DE MORGA {2}

To the reader {3}

The greatness of the monarchy of the Spanish kings is

due to the zeal and care with which they have

defended, within their own hereditary kingdoms, the

holy Catholic faith taught by the Roman church,

against all enemies who oppose it, or seek by various

errors to obscure its truth which the kings have

disseminated throughout the world. Thus, by the mercyof God, they preserve their kingdoms and subjects in

the purity of the Christian religion, meriting

thereby their glorious title and renown of "Defenders

of the Faith." Moreover, by the valor of their

indomitable hearts, and at the expense of their

revenues and possessions, they have ploughed the seas

with Spanish fleets and men, and discovered and

conquered vast kingdoms in the most remote and

unknown parts of the world. They have led the

inhabitants of these regions to a knowledge of thetrue God, and into the fold of the Christian church,

in which those peoples now live, governed in civil

and political matters with peace and justice, under

the shelter and protection of the royal arm and

power, which were wanting to them when weighed down

by blind tyrannies and barbarous cruelties, on which

the enemy of the human race had so long reared them

for himself.

For this reason the crown and scepter of España haveextended themselves wherever the sun sheds its light,

from its rising to its setting, with the glory and

splendor of their power and majesty, and the Spanish

monarchs have excelled the other princes of the earth

by having gained innumerable souls for heaven, which

has been España's principal intention and its wealth.



These, together with the great riches and treasures

which España enjoys, and the famous deeds and

victories which it has won, cause the whole world to

magnify and extol its lofty name and the energy and

valor of its subjects, who in accomplishing these

deeds have lavished their blood.

Having won America, the fourth part of the earth, of

which the ancients knew naught, they sailed in the

course of the sun until they discovered an

archipelago of many islands in the eastern ocean,

adjacent to farther Asia, inhabited by various

peoples, and abounding in rich metals, precious

stones, and pearls, and all manner of fruit. There

raising the standard of the Faith, they freed those

peoples from the yoke and power of the demon, andplaced them under the command and government of the

Faith. Consequently they may justly raise in those

islands the pillars and trophies of Non plus ultra

which the famous Hercules left on the shore of the

Cadiz Sea, which were afterward cast down by the

strong arm of Cárlos V, {4} our sovereign, who

surpassed Hercules in great deeds and enterprises.

After the islands had been conquered by the sovereign

light of the holy gospel which entered therein, theheathen were baptized, the darkness of their paganism

was banished, and they changed their own for

Christian names. The islands also, losing their

former name, took--with the change of religion and

the baptism of their inhabitants--that of Filipinas

Islands, in recognition of the great favors received

at the hands of his Majesty Filipo the Second, our

sovereign, in whose fortunate time and reign they

were conquered, protected, and encouraged, as a work

and achievement of his royal hands.

Their discovery, conquest, and conversion were not

accomplished without great expenditure, labor, and

Spanish blood, with varying success, and amid

dangers: these things render the work more

illustrious, and furnish a spacious field of which



historians may treat, for such is their office.

Certainly the subject matter is not scanty, and

contains both serious and pleasant elements

sufficient to be worthy of attention, so that it will

not depreciate historians to treat of Indian

occurrences and wars, which those who have notexperienced undervalue. For the people of those

regions are valiant and warlike nations of Asia, who

have been reared in continual warfare, both by sea

and by land, and who use artillery and other warlike

implements, which the necessity of defending

themselves against great and powerful neighboring

kingdoms, taught them to use skilfully; and--although

somewhat imperfectly--they have gained dexterity and

have completed their education in the school of

España, which recently brought war to their gates--thus sharing the experience of other provinces of

Europe, who also had formerly been ignorant and

careless of the use of arms.

Some painstaking persons, to whom--for lack of time

and means--I have given and delivered many papers and

relations which I possessed, have planned to write

this history; and I hope that they will publish it in

better shape than the fragmentary histories which we

have hitherto received from some contemporaryhistorians.{5}

I spent eight years in the Filipinas Islands, the

best years of my life, serving continuously as

lieutenant of the governor and captain-general, and,

as soon as the royal Audiencia of Manila was

established, in the office of auditor, which I was

the first to fill. {6} And desirous that the affairs

of those islands should be known, especially those

which occurred during my connection with them, I haverelated these matters in a book of eight chapters,

tracing them from their origin so far as was

necessary. The first seven chapters contain an

account of the discoveries, conquests, and other

events in the islands and neighboring kingdoms and

provinces, which occurred during the time of the





Dr. José Rizal, the Filipino patriot, was born in

1861 at Calamba in Luzón, of pure Tagál stock,

although some say that it was mixed with Chinese

blood. Through the advice of Father Leontio, a Tagál

priest, he was sent to Manila to the Jesuit

institution Ateneo Municipal--where he was the pupilof Rev. Pablo Pastells, now of Barcelona. His family

name was Mercado, but at the advice of his brother,

who had become involved in the liberal movement, he

took that of Rizal. After taking his degree at

Manila, he studied in Spain, France, and Germany. He

founded the Liga Filipina, whose principal tenet was

"Expulsion of the friars and the confiscation of

their property," and which was the basis of the

revolutionary society of the Sons of the Nation. On

Rizal's return to Manila, after several years oftravel, in 1892, he was arrested and exiled to

Dapitan. In 1895, he was allowed to volunteer for

hospital service in Cuba, but was arrested in

Barcelona, because of the breaking out of the

Filipino insurrection, and sent back to Manila, where

he was shot on December 30, 1896, by native soldiers.

Besides being a skilled physician, Dr. Rizal was a

poet, novelist, and sculptor, and had exhibited in

the salon. His first novel Noli me tangere appeared

in Berlin in 1887, and was, as Dr. T. H. Pardo deTavera remarks, the first book to treat of Filipino

manners and customs in a true and friendly spirit. It

was put under the ban by the Church. Its sequel El

Filibusterismo appeared in 1891.

Sir Henry Edward John Stanley, third Baron of

Alderley, and second Baron Eddisbury of Sinnington, a

member of the peerage of the United Kingdom, and a

baronet, died on December 10, 1903, at the age of

seventy-six. He was married in 1862 to Fabia,daughter of Señor Don

Santiago Federico San Roman of Sevilla, but had no

issue. He spent many years in the East, having been

first attaché at Constantinople and Secretary of

Legation at Athens. He embraced the Mahometan



religion and was buried by its rites privately by

Ridjag Effendi, Imaum of the Turkish embassy.

Footnotes

[1] Cea is a small town situated in the old kingdom of Léon, on a river

of the same name. It was a seat of a chateau and a duchy. The name of

the first duke of Lerma was Francisco Gomez de Sandoval y Rojas. Hume's

Spain (Cambridge, 1898), mentions one of his sons as duke of Cea, who

is probably the Cristoval Gomez de Sandoval y Rojas of Morga's

dedication.

[2] The facts of Doctor Antonio de Morga's life are meager. He must

have been born in Sevilla, as his birth register is said to exist in

the cathedral of that city. He sailed from Acapulco for the Philippines

in 1595 in charge of the vessels sent with reënforcements that year. He

remained there eight years, during which time he was continually in

office. In 1598, upon the reëstablishment of the Manila Audiencia he

was appointed senior auditor. In 1600 he took charge of the operations

against the Dutch and commanded in the naval battle with them. He left

the islands July 10, 1603, in charge of the ships sailing that year to

Mexico. After that period he served in the Mexico Audiencia; and as

late as 1616 was president of the Quito Audiencia, as appears from a

manuscript in the British Museum. His book circulated, at least, in

part, in manuscript before being published. Torrubía mentions a

manuscript called Descubrimiento, conquista, pacificación y población

de ias Islas Philipinas, which was dated 1607, and dedicated to "his

Catholic Majesty, King Don Phelipe III, our sovereign." Morga combined

the three functions of historian, politician, and soldier, and hischaracter is many sided and complex. He is spoken of in high terms as

an historian, and Rizal, as well as Blumentritt, exalts him above all

other historians of the Philippines.

[3] Throughout this work, all notes taken entire or condensed from José

Rizal's edition of Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas por el Doctor Antonio

de Morga (Paris, 1890), will be signed Rizal, unless Rizal is given as

authority for the note or a portion of it in the body of the note.

Similarly those notes taken or condensed from Lord Henry E. J.

Stanley's translation of Morga, The Philippine Islands.... by Antonio

de Morga (Hakluyt Soc. ed., London, 1868), will be signed Stanley,

unless Stanley is elsewhere given as authority as above.

[4] Charles chose as his motto Plus ultra, being led thereto by the

recent world discoveries and the extension of Spanish dominions. This

motto is seen on his coins, medals, and other works.

[5] Perhaps Morga alludes to Argensola, who published his Historia de

la conquista de las Molucas this same year of 1609.--Rizal.

[6] This was the second establishment of the Audiencia, in 1598.



[7] The term "proprietary governor" refers to the regularly appointed

(hence governor in his own right) royal representative who governed the

islands; all others were governors ad interim, and were appointed in

different manners at different periods. The choice of governors showed

a gradual political evolution. In the earliest period, the successor in

case of death or removal was fixed by the king or the Audiencia of

Mexico (e.g., in the case of Legazpi). Some governors (e.g., Gomez

Perez Dasmariñas) were allowed to name their own successor. After the

establishment of the Audiencia, the choice fell upon the senior

auditor. The latest development was the appointment of a segundo cabo,

or second head (about the equivalent of lieutenant-governor), who took

the office ad interim in case of the governor's death or removal, or a

vacancy arising from any other cause.

[8] Morga may refer to accounts of the battle with Oliver van Noordt,

or the manuscripts of Juan de Plasencia, Martin de Rada, and others.--

Rizal.

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Documents

History of the Philippine Islands Vol i and II - Preface to Volume i